Switching system



Aug. 13, 1940.

I P. VERPLANCK SWITCHING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F'cx i 14 ix i K9 m U INVENTOR. P/f/Y/k? H rp/0x 61 BY ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 13, 1940 cm'rso STATES PATENT OFFICE SWITCHING SYSTEM Filip Verplanck, Akron, Ohio 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a switch system for double tracks of an overhead railway at the region of cross-over by other double tracks and has for its object to provide a switch system for switching a train on any track from either direction to either track and either direction on the intersecting tracks or to a cross-over position on its original track whereby the direction may be changed. This application relates more particularly to the safety controls for the switching system, and is divided. from application Serial No. 191,647, filed February 21, 1938, which claims the switching mechanism.

In the case of overhead rails it is very difficult if not impossible to arrange a simple switching system supported solely from the suspended beams from which the tracks are hung. It is also impractical to obtain the multiplicity of track connecting possibilities in a simple turn table without a large number of cross-overs which make for discomfort, noise and undue wear on the wheels, flanges and tracks. It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide a compound switch comprising laterally shifting units and a rotating or turntable unit, each supported directly from the ground on individual track units and to provide coordinated actuating means for operation thereof.

Derailrnent of any rail vehicle is serious at high speed but derailment of an overhead rail vehicle may be fatal or quite costly even at low speeds so that when an overhead rail is disconnected at some point, safeguards against train operation in the vicinity are of utmost importance. It is, therefore, another object to provide a switch system, as above described, in combination with a power control system automatically operative in response to the relative position of thetrack portions which will preclude train operation unless and until the track sections are aligned and ready to receive the weight of a train.

Other objects and advantages will become more fully apparent as reference is had to the accompanying drawings wherein my invention is illus trated, and in which Fig. l is a plan view of my improved switch system,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the laterally shifting units taken along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical diametric section of the rotating or turntable unit taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken along the line tiof Fig. 1, showing the track locking devices, and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic showing of a portion of the power control circuits.

More particularly, the double tracks I, la, 2, 2a, 3, 3a and 4, 4a, of an overhead rail system are shown in Fig. 1 as approaching the switching sys- (Cl. Mid-35) tern from four directions. The tracks are suspended from overhead beams in any special or conventional manner (not shown), each track being shown as of the two-rail type although the invention is equally applicable to mono-rail tracks. The track sections of all of these tracks terminate at laterally movable units 5 each of which has two track sections 6 and l carried thereby for selective connection of the main track ends with a single stationary track section 3 which, in turn, is selectively connectable to the track sections 9, IE! and H of the turn table l2.

The units 5 are all of identical construction, one being illustrated in Fig. 2. The description of this figure, which is assumed to be the one carrying track sections 5 and l, is, therefore, descriptive of all of these units. The main base members it are supported by axles it each having wheels 55 at each end thereof. The wheels rest on parallel rails it which run normal to the direction of the main tracks I, la and which rest on the ground substantially below the tracks l, in. A wheel stop ll limits the travel of the wheels it at each end of the tracks it, these tracks being only long enough to shift the section 3 into alignment with the track la and the sec= tion 6 into alignment with the section l'. A mo-= tor It mounted on the base l 3 connected to one axle it by the driving chains I9 serves as the prime mover for impelling all wheels.

Arising from the base members It are vertical pillars 28 connected at their tops by the horizontal beams 22 from which web members 22 de= pend, these web members supporting the heavy beams 23 upon which the rails l are mounted. The third or power carrying rails 24 are also carried by the beams 23. The beams 23 are divided between the rails l5 and the rails l to permit passage of the train suspension means from the train trucks which ride the rails, the car bodies residing between the base it and the beams 23.

The next unit to be described is the stationary portion 25 which carries the single stationary track sections 8. The exterior of this unit has wall portions 2% which, preferably, parallel and reside immediately adjacent the inner edges of the units 5. The interior is circular in order to receive the turn table l2. This unit 25 is supported directly on the ground and may be made of concrete or any desirable materials and may be built with passenger waiting accommodations to serve as a station with facilities for loading and unloading the trains.

The turn table l2 has a base frame 26 supported on the wheels 27, 28 and 29, which run on circular tracks. Arising from the base 26 are pillars Sll which are connected at their tops by the horizontal members 3| from which depend structural portions 32 which support other horizontal beams which, in turn, support the track sections 9, i0 and II. The sections 9 and H are arcuate in plan view, thus serving to connect any section 8 with either adjacent section 3, and the section ii] is straight for connecting any two opposite sections 8.

The safety system will now be described. In Fig. 5, the tracks 4 and 4a are illustrated with the third power rails 24 therebetween, approaching the switching units 5, l2 and 25. At some distance, say twenty-five hundred feet away from the switching units, power breaks or insulating interrupters 34 are inserted in the third rails and also in the tracks, if necessary, in order that the motors which drive the train can no longer receive power from the original source of power supply. The insulated sections 25a of the third rails can be energized from a shunt circuit or an entirely separate circuit supplied from a power source 36.

Cooperating with each rail section 6 and with each rail section 7 is a slidably mounted plunger 3'! which may be the core of a solenoid 38 or the piston rod of an air motor 38, for instance, which passes through an opening 39 in the track supporting structure of the tracks i or la. When and only when a track section 6 or I is in alignment with its corresponding section I or la, the solenoid is energized by the closing of the switch 40 and the plungers 31 enter the holes 39. As they pass through their holes 39 the ends of the plungers 3T engage a switch arm ii, thus closing the circuit 35 and energizing the third rail sections Zia. The sections 8 and 9, it, i I are also each provided with a similar solenoid, plunger and switch arm mechanism, as has just been described and all switch arms H are in the circuit 35. only two being illustrated in Fig. so that every switch must be closed before the circuit 35 can operate to energize the motors of the train.

What is claimed is:

1. In an electric railway, a plurality of tracks approaching each other from dinerent directions and terminating prior to intersection, a switch system for connecting the ends of one of said tracks with the ends of any other of said tracks, a power line for supplying energy to the trains on said tracks, selective means operative to position said switch system, means carried by said switch system for engaging coacting means adjacent each track locking said switch system in positions connecting selected tracks and means adjacent each coacting means and responsive to the position of said locking means with respect thereto for controlling the electrical energization of said line.

2. In an electric railway, a plurality of tracks approaching each other from difierent directions and terminating prior to intersection, a switch system for connecting the ends of one of said tracks with the ends of any other of said tracks, a power line for supplying energy to the trains on said tracks, selective means operative to position said switch system, means locking said switch system in selected positions connecting selected tracks, said means comprising a locking element carried by said switch system and means ad jacent each track for coaction therewith, a power circuit for energizing the power line of said tracks to and through said switch system,

and switch means adjacent each of said coacting means and responsive to the position of said locking means with respect thereto for controlling the energization of the power line.

3. In an electric railway system, a plurality of tracks approaching each other from different directions and terminating prior to intersection, a turn table interposed between the ends of said tracks and rotatable to selectively connect said ends, a power line for supplying current to trains on said tracks, means operative to lock said turn table in a selected position, said locking means comprising a locking element carried by the turn table and means adjacent each of said ends for coaction therewith, and means adjacent each of said coacting means and responsive to the position of said last locking element for controlling energization and de-energization of said power line in the vicinity of said turn table.

4. In an overhead electric railway system, elevated tracks suspended on a main track supporting structure and approaching each other from different directions, a movable switch system for selectively connecting said tracks to form a continuous path for a train, a power line for supplying current to trains on said tracks, coacting means on said switch system and adjacent each track operative to lock said movable switch system in selected position, and means adjacent each of the track coacting means responsive to the position of the system coacting means with respect thereto for causing energizetion of said power line in the vicnity of said switch system.

5. In a railway switch system for a plurality of double tracks, a turn table interposed at the region where said tracks tend to intersect, said turn table having track sections thereon, converging track sections mounted for movement transversely between the ends of each of said double tracks and said turn table whereby a train on any one of said double tracks may pass onto the selected track sections on said turn table and therefrom onto any other one of said plurality of tracks, a power line for suplying current to trains on said tracks, means operable to lock said turn table in selected position, means operable to lock said transversely movable track sections in selected positions and means responsive to the position of said last two named locking means controlling energization and de-- energization of said power line in the vicinity of said turn table.

6. In a railway switch system for a plurality of double tracks, a turn table interposed at the region where said tracks tend to intersect, said turn table having track sections thereon, converging track sections mounted for movement transversely between the ends of each of said duoble tracks and said turn table whereby a train on any one of said double tracks may pass onto selected track sections on said turn table and therefrom onto any other one of said plurality of tracks, means for locking said turn table in selected positions, means for locking said transversely movable sections in selected positions, and means responsive to the position of both of said locking means for causing energization of the line only when both locking means are operative in a selected position.

PHILIP VERPLANCK. 

